DOT shifts tourism strategy from arrivals to investments

The Department of Tourism is shifting its focus beyond visitor arrivals as it pursues an investment-driven and people-centered strategy aimed at generating higher tourism revenues, attracting capital and creating more jobs.

Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the agency wants to strengthen tourism readiness by improving airports, gateways, infrastructure and air connectivity as the Philippines prepares to host the 49th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in November. 

“We want to be defined as an agency that's proactively taking the lead in tourism readiness,” Angara-Mathay said.

Tourism contributed 8.1 percent to the Philippine economy in 2025, generating P2.27 trillion in Tourism Direct Gross Value Added and supporting 7.70 million jobs nationwide, according to Philippine Statistics Authority data cited by the DOT. 

Connectivity push

The DOT is working with the Department of Transportation and private stakeholders to improve airport gateways, increase flight frequencies and establish new air and sea routes, including links to secondary cities and emerging tourism markets. 

From 1 January to 19 May, the country recorded 7.78 million international air seats for direct inbound flights, up 8.31 percent from the same period in 2025.

The department said Chinese arrivals reached 310,000 during the period, a 69.15 percent increase year on year.

New and resumed routes have also connected Manila and Cebu with San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver and Paris, while additional Asian services now link Cebu, Clark, Iloilo, Bohol, Kalibo, Caticlan and Davao with key regional markets. 

The Philippines has also secured an expanded air services agreement with Türkiye, doubling Manila-Istanbul flights from seven to 14 weekly and providing unlimited frequency rights for secondary gateways including Cebu, Clark and Davao.

More tourism investments

Angara-Mathay, a former trade diplomat, is also pushing initiatives designed to make tourism projects more attractive to investors.

These include programs focused on investment accountability and readiness, tourism intelligence and strategic investment partnerships.

The DOT has formed a Japan Tourism Investment and Business Development Team following a business roundtable in Tokyo in May.

The team has held discussions with companies including Marubeni over a specialty medical clinic and Sojitz over the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure in underserved tourism destinations. The department plans to replicate the model in other priority markets. 

Bigger marketing budget sought

The DOT is also seeking greater funding for tourism marketing, with Angara-Mathay saying the Philippines currently has one of the lowest tourism marketing budgets in ASEAN.

International tourists visiting the country stay an average of five days and spend around $2,000, or approximately P125,000, according to the department. 

“Marketing and branding are not expenses that we can afford to treat as secondary. They are investments in the competitiveness of Philippine tourism,” Angara-Mathay said.

“If we want to compete with our regional neighbors, we must be willing to invest at a level that matches the ambition we have for our tourism industry. To put it simply, we have to put our money where our mouth is.” 

About 70 percent of the DOT’s marketing budget will be allocated to digital marketing and media placements, with larger shares planned for Japan and South Korea.

The United States, Canada, Australia and ASEAN markets will also receive increased allocations, while the department plans to sustain a P50-million localized campaign targeting South Korea. 

P-pop groups BINI and SB19 will continue serving as tourism ambassadors, with expanded campaigns planned for 2027 targeting their audiences in Asia, North America and the Filipino diaspora. 

Supporting tourism workers

The DOT is also expanding partnerships with digital and financial platforms to help micro, small and medium tourism enterprises improve online visibility, cashless payment capabilities and digital literacy. 

Tourism accreditation rose from 11,989 establishments in 2022 to 15,007 in 2025, while ASEAN tourism standard awards received by the Philippines increased from 13 in 2022 to 27 in 2026.

The department is also updating accreditation standards and developing new rules for emerging sectors including campgrounds and domestic cruise ships. 

Tourism employment reached 7.70 million workers in 2025, representing 15.7 percent of total employment nationwide. 

Angara-Mathay said the broader goal is to reposition tourism as an ecosystem worth investing in rather than simply a collection of destinations to promote.

As the country marks World Tourism Day on 27 September, she said the government wants to create conditions that encourage tourists to “come, stay longer, spend more, and return,” while generating sustainable opportunities for communities dependent on tourism.